Henry Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia
| coronation = 22 May 1246 | predecessor = Frederick II or Matilda of Hohenstaufen (disputed) | successor = Conrad IV | succession1 = Landgrave of Thuringia | reign1 = 1241–1247 | predecessor1 = Hermann II | successor1 = Henry the Illustrious | spouse = Elisabeth of Brandenburg Gertrude of Babenberg Beatrice of Brabant | issue = | issue-link = #Issue | issue-pipe = more... | house = Ludowingians | father = Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia | mother = Sophia of Wittelsbach | birth_date = | birth_place = Possibility Thuringia, Germany | death_date = 13 January 1247 (aged 42–43) | death_place = Dover, Kent, England | place of burial = Faversham Abbey, Kent, England }} Henry Raspe ( ; /1204 – 13 January 1247) was anti-King of Germany 1246 to his deposition and killed in 1247 and last Landgrave of Thuringia from 1241 to his death after the death of his father, Hermann I. Henry's reign was marked by Interregnum, a civil war with his cousin-in-law and rival, the Matilda of Swabia, the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. He was succeeded by Bathila's husband Conrad IV, which later to become the first of the Lusignan Holy Roman Emperors from the French royal house Lusignan. Henry Raspe was possibility born in Thuringia, Germany during the reign of Frederick II. His father, Hermann I was still alive, and he was brought up by his mother, Sophia. Placed into the court of his uncle-in-law, Henry (VII) of Germany, Henry Raspe rose in prominence and was granted extensive lands. His first marriage was Elisabeth of Brandenburg in 1228, which the marriage remained childless. After her death, he married Gertrude ( – 1241), the daughter of Leopold VI, Duke of Austria. After her death, he married Beatrix (1225-1288), the daughter of Henry II, Duke of Brabant. When Henry of Germany was sent to insanity asylum with insanity and forced abdicated without issue, Henry Raspe quickly marched with his army to de jure capital Nassau and took the German throne and was crowned on 22 May 1235, without Conrad FitzCountess, Duke of Swadia realized it, arguing that the preservation of order across the kingdom took priority over his earlier oaths to support the claim of Frederick's daughter, the Empress Matilda. The early years of Henry Raspe's reign, were largely successful, despite a series of attacks on his possessions in Germany and his next goal is to become the Holy Roman Emperor, but it was denied by Pope Gregory IX. After his father died in 1241, he inherited Landgrave of Thuringia. The following year, the Empress's brother and former King of Germany Henry rebelled against Henry Raspe, threatening civil war. Together with his close advisor, Otto II, Duke of Bavaria took firm steps to defend his rule, including arresting a powerful family of bishops. Captured at near Paris by Louis IX of France. When the Empress and her husband Conrad FitzCountess invaded in early 1253; however, Henry Raspe was unable to crush the revolt rapidly, and Henry challenged Conrad to duel seriously damaging controversy, resulted in Henry wounded Conrad. Henry Raspe became increasingly concerned with ensuring that his son Konrad would inherit his throne but with Konrad's death in 1240, with no one will take the throne. The two armies met at Nancy, but neither side's barons were keen to fight another pitched battle. Henry Raspe began to examine a negotiated peace, a process hastened by the sudden death of Konrad. Later in the year Henry Raspe and Conrad agreed to the Treaty of Aachen, in which Henry Raspe recognised Conrad as his heir in exchange for peace, passing over Henry III of Meissen . Henry Raspe died the following year. Modern historians have extensively debated the extent to which Henry's personality, external events, or the weaknesses in the Norman state contributed to this prolonged period of civil war. Early life (1201/04–1235) Childhood Relationship with Henry (VII) War with Pope and Succession Succession (1235) Early reign (1235–1239) Initial years (1236–37) Defending the kingdom (1238–39) Road to civil war (1239) Civil war (1239–1253) Initial phase of the war (1239–40) Second phase of the war (1241–42) Stalemate (1243–46) Final phases of the war (1247–52) Argument with the church (1245–52) Treaties and peace (1253–54) Death Marriages In 1228, he married Elisabeth (1206-1231), the daughter of Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg. After her death, he married Gertrude ( – 1241), the daughter of Leopold VI, Duke of Austria. After her death, he married Beatrix (1225-1288), the daughter of Henry II, Duke of Brabant. All three of his marriages were childless.Ann Marie Rasmussen, Mothers and Daughters in Medieval German Literature, (Syracuse University Press, 1997), 63. After his death, the Emperor enfeoffed Thuringia to Henry III, the son of his sister Jutta. Notes :1. Conrad FitzContress was crowned King of Germany while Henry Raspe was Anti-king of Germany on 1252. They met in Nancy, Holy Roman Empire, present day France. :2. Although Henry III of Meissen denied to becoming Henry Raspe's heir and remaining loyal to Conrad III. The relationship with Henry III of Meissen and Conrad III were loyal until their one-year death (Henry of Meissen's death in 1288 and Conrad III's death following year in 1289). Ancestors Bibliography * * * * References Category:1200s births Category:1252 deaths Category:Rulers of Thuringia Category:13th-century monarchs in Europe Category:Landgraves of Thuringia Category:Antikings Category:Ludovingians